Monday, December 7, 2009

Chewy Coconut-Chocolate Pinwheels

I really have something special for you today. These little cookies are like a coconut macaroon all grown up. This is one of the items I made for my Secret Baker bakee, and it's a good thing that the majority of them are being shipped off, because they are quite wonderful.

These cookies are not only lovely, they are incredibly delicious. The cookie has a distinct buttery flavor, a very chewy texture due to the coconut, and a crispy outer. The center is filled with a sort of a ganache that is made from chopped chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. The only complaint I have about these cookies is that they are a tad too sweet, and I think that could be remedied by making a traditional ganache with heavy cream.

I'll certainly be making these again over the holidays, and you should too!

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 8 tablespoons of the butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until combined. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to mixer and mix until just combined. Stir in coconut. Roll dough out between two sheets of parchment until it measures about 10 1/2" x 15 1/2". Using a sharp knife, trim dough into an even 10" x 15" rectangle. Place dough in fridge for at least 1 hour. In a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, place the chocolate and remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir occasionally until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the condensed milk. Let cool and thicken for about 5 minutes. Remove dough from fridge and spread chocolate over surface, leaving about 1/4" of dough uncovered along one of the 15" sides. Starting with the other long side, roll dough into a log using bottom piece of parchment to help, and smooth the 1/4 inch you left chocolate-free into the log so that it is a fluid circle with no chocolate leaking out. Wrap the log in parchment and chill overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Slice the log into 1/4" thick pieces. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1" apart. Bake for about 10-14 minutes, until cookies are puffed and light golden brown. Place baking sheet on cooling rack for cookies to cool completely.

Martha's cookie book is overwhelming in it's abundance of recipes; I'm glad you gave these a test drive for me! Some very lucky SB participant will be excited to see these (but I know it won't be Di!!)